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| OK. Got the pkg. Boy it looks confusing as all hell. First question is....I need to get a long wire to connect the two hot leads from the 520's so they hook to the starting batttery, right? And I need a pair of switches to shut off the power for the gps and the hot power lead, correct? Switches go just on the red wires, right? Would any switch suffice or does West Marine have something better to offer me than high prices?  Thanks, the Greenhorn. |
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| Laidmit all out on the floor and it seems to make sense. Ethernet goes from 1 to the other whereas the LowranceNet has the droppers and tee's that link the devices too. Still that question of the power lead and switches though... |
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Posts: 67
Location: St. Germain, Wi | You only power the NMEA cable one time. There will be a cable with a black and red wire opposite the power black and red coming from the same power port. Make sure you switch the power leads before connecting. Just tape up the nmea wires from the second unit. You wont need the wire with all the color wires. Jim |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | I need to get a long wire to connect the two hot leads from the 520's so they hook to the starting batttery - yep, one is for the power for the gps and one is the head unit power
Switches go just on the red wires, right - yep
Would any switch suffice - I went to AutoZone and got two switches and two mounting plates. The switches have little LED lights so I can tell when they are on.m |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | Sounds like you have it right. You really only need the switch for the antenna's positive cable. But, it wouldn't hurt anything to have the other red wire connected to it. You should be able to use any toggle switch also. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | Yeah, I added the power switch for the head unit since I do not plan to travel with the head unit attached to the boat. The directions (arrrgh!) say that if you unplug the unit and the power is still on, you can get corrsoion on the plug. So, as long as I was installing one switch, I put in two. m |
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| After reading your replies several hundred times.....still I ask.....Can I wire the front units' antenna and that units' power lead together? Should I run separate power leads for the 2 520s to the battery? If I do this, and move up front to fish in the bow, does the rear 520 have to stay turned on, say, to show waypoints that i mark on the forward gps? The boat sits outside, ans i am waiting for a good weather day to install them, maybe this weekend. I can be patient and wait for answers. Thanks a bunch. da rookie |
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Posts: 67
Location: St. Germain, Wi | Bruce, give me a call, I'm home today. Jim 847-352-8774 |
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| Skunkburt/Jim-just saw your post tonight. I didnt watch it close enough I guess, to see if anyone else had posted again. Last night I took the wires out to the boat to lay everything out. Wired the hot lead from the puck all the way back to the battery from the bow. Did the same for the hot lead from the front 520c. But a fuse on both. I played it safe with that one, also wasnt sure if I could splice those two leads together up front, then run a single wire back to the battery, with the fuse on that. Anyhow, everything lit up (SURPRISE!!) Took a couple of seconds for the gps to lock in. There seems like too many wires. I need to slide them in a tube of sorts, to clean up the look. I have a 16' Naden open aluminum with bench seats. Some of the wires/connections I will solder to secure them better. One question is...can I use the dielectri gel on ALL connections, even on the back of the 520's? Lotsa humidity in Michigan right now, and I brought them in last night, but the wires stayed out in the boat. Thanks, Bruce |
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Posts: 158
Location: Burlington, WI | I believe in the manual they suggest using dielectric grease for all of the connections. If you put it on one side of the conncection the grease will of course get on the other side of the connection. My question with this grease is if anyone ever has any problems the grease collecting dirt and causing problems with the connections. |
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| Today with the good weather I went back out to clean up the loose wiring. I have some 1" dia tubes that I ran the wires thru. Sunday everthing lit up and the gps locked in on my locale, then lost satelites, then locked in again. Today I cut the power lead for the module, to put a switch in, and now I get a "module not responding" notice on my screen. This is in the driveway, under trees, same spot as Sunday. Took the boat out tonight, but did not leave gps screen on long enough to see if it would lock in. My Magellan handheld locked on 6 or 7 sats. What gives? Anyone ever have this problem? I found the troubleshooting area on Lowrance.com and will try a few things tomorrow. The LCG-3000 costs more than my Magellan, so you would think it would be superior.  |
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| Forgot one thing....I just put in an agm as the starting battery. I did not try to charge it before today, bought it last Friday. If a battery was low might it affect a gps signal? And Sunday, only the 2 520c's were touching the agm. Today i hooked up the lights, the Honda, and an onboard charger to the battery, as well as the 520's. Might that make a difference? Thanks. |
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Posts: 5874
| Did you turn on the switch? It worked before, then you added the switch. I'd look there.
If you get the module not responding, that means it is not getting power. |
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| I took the switch back out and wired them all back together. Still getiing the 'not responding'. Bought a volt meter today, to check the wiring. I'm at a loss. I'll keep checking things, backtracking. |
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Posts: 5874
| Where do you live? |
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| I am in Michigan. Backtracked back to the battery, and just for the 'ell of it, check the fuses. Yup. One was tripped. Had a spare, luckily. Took a couple of secs but it located my spot, even with the trees all around. Now, where do I find 3 amp fuses?? Checked the local stores, auto stores, West Marine online. Going to try a local Lund dealer Friday that sells the Lowrance line. If I have to order online I will get a bunch. Thanks for all the help. |
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Posts: 5874
| One more bit of advice. Get rid of that inline fuse holder(s), and replace with the Automotive Mini Blade style. Any Auto Parts store should have them, and should have the type with the waterproof cover for Marine apps. Radio Shack, and Fleet Farms also have them. I attached a pic. Only a couple bucks, and you can find the fuses almost anywhere. The 3 Amp fuse is Purple, as shown.
I had a problem with one of my inlines not makig a good connection, and my X-111 would shut off it the boat hit any wave sideways. Not a good thing when your coming around the duck blind on Butte des Mortes!
Edited by Shep 6/13/2008 9:17 AM
(3A Mini-Blade Automotive Fuse.jpg)
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 fuseholder.jpg (3KB - 109 downloads)
fuseholder1.jpg (2KB - 97 downloads)
3A Mini-Blade Automotive Fuse.jpg (4KB - 104 downloads)
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Posts: 158
Location: Burlington, WI | I was blowing those same fuses on my units. I just went to an Advanced Auto store and they had them.
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| I gave up on auto stores, though i did not call Advance. First call to the Lund dealer that sells Lowrance units paid off. 95 cents apiece. I'll try them this year. I dont know what tripped it. though by bro' in law says i might have pumped the side of the aluminum boat with a bare wire while prepping them. Dont think so. I know they were not on the battery at that point. Thanks Shep for the tip on those mini's. |
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